Gonzaga students with guns placed on school probation

With the national media spotlight on them, two Gonzaga University roommates put on school probation for violating a weapons policy said they’ll appeal the sanction.

Seniors Erik Fagan and Daniel McIntosh faced suspension or expulsion after one of them chased an aggressive intruder from their apartment at gunpoint. Instead …

With the national media spotlight on them, two Gonzaga University roommates put on school probation for violating a weapons policy said they’ll appeal the sanction.

Seniors Erik Fagan and Daniel McIntosh faced suspension or expulsion after one of them chased an aggressive intruder from their apartment at gunpoint. Instead, they’ll remain on probation for the rest of their time at Gonzaga, the university informed them Sunday by letter.

“It was a little bit of a surprise,” Fagan said Sunday. “We’re happy that we are still here at Gonzaga. Our objective was to remain here because we do love this school and love being here.”

But he and McIntosh plan to appeal their probations, he said.

“That information is going to be on our educational record, and anytime we go for a job interview and show them our transcripts, that information will be on there,” Fagan said. “We don’t feel like we should be punished just for defending ourselves.”

McIntosh, 23, chased a man demanding money from the doorstep of their Logan neighborhood apartment Oct. 24. Afterward, university security guards confiscated his 10 mm Glock pistol after the incident and also took a hunting shotgun belonging to Fagan, 21.

Students are not allowed to have guns in their homes if they live on campus or in a university-owned apartment. Fagan and McIntosh were charged with four violations of university policy. The university discipline board Friday found them responsible for two violations: possessing weapons on school grounds and putting others in danger by the use of weapons.

The controversy has spread via social media and news reports, and Fagan and McIntosh were preparing for interviews to air today on “Good Morning America” and “Fox and Friends.”